Leave Fireworks to the Professionals

LEAVE FIREWORKS TO THE PROFESSIONALS THIS YEAR

It's that time of year when I am tempted to stop at one of those roadside fireworks stands and pick up some aerial rockets, shower fountains, or the "harmless" childhood favorite - sparklers. But now that I see the emergency department visit logs after every Independence Day week, I think again. Consumer Products Safety Commission says 11,000 Americans were sent to emergency rooms in 2016 - two-thirds of them around the July 4th holiday.

Dr. Cory Wilson, co-founder of ConsensioHealth and a practicing emergency room physician sees it first hand every year:

"Small fireworks and sparklers cause most of the injuries related to fireworks. The most common injury is a burn to the hand, and any burn that blisters should be evaluated in the emergency department or an urgent care clinic. Burns to the face and eyes are also common, as people bend over to light their fireworks, and can result in severe pain and visual loss. Blunt trauma from fireworks can also result in severe hand injuries leading to amputated digits and facial bone fractures. And loud noise from fireworks can cause temporary or permanent hearing loss."

So buying those rockets and mortar cannons may be tempting and it seems like every stand has those Buy One Get One Free offers. But skip the offers and save yourself the pain and agony of a firework burn, disfigurement, or worse.